Waiting for this moment for a lifetime
by Born-to-boogie
Summary: Its 1917 and the tree hill men are called to arms to serve their country, Dan, Keith, Nathan, Lucas, Jake, Julian and Chase are off to France leaving behind their families and lovers some of them won't come back and the ones who do might wish they hadnt.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Its 1917 and the tree hill men are called to arms to serve their country, Dan, Keith, Nathan, Lucas, Jake, Julian and Chase are off to France leaving behind their mothers, friends and lovers some of them won't come back and the ones who do might wish they hadn't.

A/N: this might seem a bit jumpy at first but it will get better I promise.

A few meters down the railway line a young soldier with blonde hair, blue eyes was saying goodbye to his mother.

"Ma I'll be ok I promise aint nothing bad gonna happen to me I know how to take care of myself." Lucas smiled

"I know but I'm your mother it's my right to worry and I have heard some terrible things about what happens over there these days." Karen ran a hand across his green Soldiers tunic smoothing a crease out gently.

"I'll be alright mom I'll write you whenever I get chance, can I speak with Brooke a moment please?" he asked gently.

Knowing her boys growing feelings for Brooke Davis she smiled at him and kissed his cheek " don't get on that train before saying goodbye ok young man" She turned away to talk to another mother.

"Listen Brooke I know we've been friends a while but I think a lot of you and most of the other fellers on the ship have someone to write to back home well I was wondering if I could write to you and maybe you could write back?" He asked nervously.

"Lucas I would love to write to you just promise you will be careful the worlds a dangerous place right now." She took his hand.

"I want you to be my girl Brooke no one else ok it's you I want." He kissed her briefly on the lips.

"I would love to be your girl Lucas Scott."

A whistle blew and men started to say their final farewells before boarding the train.

An hour later…

Two men in the traditional green army uniform are seated in the carriage another with less insignia on his uniform enters the compartment.

"You wanted to see me Danny" The new man said.

"Watch it Corporal there's another officer in this carriage respect my rank we aren't at home now Keith." Dan Scott smiled smugly.

"Sorry …Sir I was just wondering what it was you wanted to see me for?" Keith asked his patience wearing thin.

"Well we both know my youngest boy is in your platoon I want you to keep an eye on him seeing as your in with the enlisted men and are a lot closer to him just so you know if anything happens to Nathan I will hold you personally responsible." Dan informed him coolly.

"Yes sir I will keep my eye on him Major." Keith saluted and exited the carriage before kicking the wall outside, stupid smug son of a bitch! Dan had a lot of nerve putting that on him as if it wasn't enough for any soldier to watch his own back now he had to watch Nathans too.

"Hey Scott" Shouted Tim Smith "What's up man" Both young Scott's looked up that scowled at each other and Lucas went back to his book as Nathan looked at Tim angrily.

"Tim, you stupid bastard." Nathan grunted.

"How was I supposed to know that your brother was in the same train carriage" Tim replied stupidly.

"Hey that Kid may have my last name but he is not my brother alright!" Nathan snapped "I'm moving this carriage is feeling a little crowded" He spat in Lucas's direction.

"Don't bother I'll move the air stinks in here anyway" Lucas rose from his seat and heaved his kitbag on his shoulder and left.

"So your brother hates you too" Tim laughed.

"He's not my brother you idiot." Nathan yelled and punched him hard on the arm.

"Ouch man that hurts!" Tim cried in a girly voice.

"Man up Tim" He said walking away.

"How long have we been on this train man" Lucas looked up to see a young soldier just waking up.

"About 6 hours now, why?" Lucas returned to his book.

"Nothin but you weren't here when I fell asleep so I just wondered." The young soldier had dark hair and green eyes "I'm Chase by the way" He holds out a hand.

"I'm Lucas 2nd platoon was getting a bit rowdy so I left." Luke explained.

"Yeah some of those guys are total jerks, that group who all follow that Nathan guy like a fucking group of lost puppies just cus his daddy is some big major." Chase grumbled.

"Yeah tell me about it." Lucas agreed. "we see to be slowing down a bit Chase you might wanna straighten up your uniform" He suggested.

Chase looked down at his loose tie and crumpled jacket "Yeah your probably right" He stood up and stretched.

"3 weeks on a freaking sardine can of a troop ship, great" Nathan muttered.

"Stop your complainin Lance Corporal least you got your own bed and you ain't hot bunkin with some other feller in a hammock." Jake replied.

"Man you just sounded really really gay" Nathan laughed.

"You know what hot bunking means it means we sleep in shifts and by the time I get to bed it's already warm from the last guy who slept in it" Jake explained exasperated.

"Yeah I know but it sounded so gay right guys?" Nathan laughed and 4 or 5 guys followed him trying to get on his good side.

"Hey man it's 4am its time to switch" Lucas patted Chase on the shoulder.

"uh that time already?" He sat up.

"yeah come on you slept all of last night in the hammock , I'm tired of sleeping on the hallway floor." Lucas nudged him again.

"Okay I'm up I'm up, sorry it took so long" Chase said sleepily

3 weeks later…

"Welcome to Belgium boys it's not a pretty sight out here this is a serious war zone and just getting you boys to our trench could be a hazard so keep your heads low, stay aware and follow me" The captain said. He looked tired and his uniform looked disgustingly dirty and tatty "my names Captain Fredrickson and yes you boys guessed it I'm British and you yanks may not like that but I've been here 2 years and I'm not dead yet so take what you will from that, now let's go" He ducked slightly and started to walk quickly with purpose.

Suddenly shells were bursting around them and some of the guys started to panic.

"Oh my god this is what hell must be like." One man Screamed as another bomb blasted into the ground at their feet.

"Keep moving men were almost there." The captain shouted.

"Sir…SIR Daniels is hit HE's HIT!" A guy yelled.

"Well unless you want to carry him soldier you leave him there" The captain yelled again.

"But we aren't supposed to leave a man behind?" Lucas called out.

"If one of those things hit him he's already dead someone grab his identity disc and lets moved on were sitting ducks here" He snapped once more.

The men continued to move keeping their heads low a little shaken from what had happened to their comrade before he's even had a chance to defend his country.

When they arrived it wasn't much better they were moved into a muddy trench the officers and NCO's were shown to their underground offices and accommodation for when they were off duty, the men were shown where the ablutions and aid station were located.

"Hey Adams are you asleep?" Luke whispered.

"Not a chance I think I just saw the world's biggest rat" He replied.

The was a long pause before Luke spoke again "I'm scared man"

Another long pause

"Luke?"

"Yeah man?"

"I'm Scared too." Chase replied.

Nothing else was said and the two men fell asleep to the sound of gunfire in the distance.

"Lance Corporal Scott you're wanted back at battalion HQ the rest of you boys get ready 15 minutes until we go up and over." Captain Fredrickson announced.

"Can't believe Nathan gets out of it." One soldier said.

"Yeah guess we know who needs him at battalion HQ" Another one said.

"Wish I had a dad to give me special privileges" Muttered another.

Nathan walked behind the line at the exact same time everyone else was on the way forward.

"come on guys let's keep moving" screamed Sergeant Cooper a nice man with a good battle head.

Shells bursting around them and the roar of german machine gun fire cutting down the men in front of them, they found a weak lookin man in a ditch screaming repeatedly.

"what are you doing soldier?" Lucas shouted over the sound.

"I can't do this were all going to die here were in hell" He cried.

"listen man you need to think if this go's badly and the Germans find you you aren't going to live long screaming like that and if it go's well for us and we win you are going to get court marshalled for desertion and shot so best thing you can do right now is get up and grab your rifle and come with us." Chase shouted.

"ok" he said taking the out stretched hand of Lucas.

"Goodman now lets get moving.

Later that afternoon when the remaining men were back including Lucas, Chase and the man who they had found out was called Julian several men were lost and many were wounded. The boys were dirty, tired and hungry.

Nathan came back after the day spent with his father to find out his band of followers had disbanded all except Tim Smith and he was wounded at the aid station.

"What happened? Wheres Smith and Humphreys and James?" Nathan said to no one in particular.

"Well Smiths in the aid station he got shot in the shoulder and Humphreys took a bullet to the head so hes gone and James is missing presumed dead." Johnson said "But not like you'd know you weren't there were you?" He snapped.

"What man It was my turn to be the commanders runner not my fault you were all going over the top today" Nathan retorted.

"It's just convenient for you that's all you got a dad who's a major and all of a sudden you're called to HQ while the rest of us fight to the death with jerry" He spat on the ground in disgust.

"Whatever" Nathan walked to the other end of the trench and pulled out a cigarette.

The problem was the other men were right his dad had interfered and told his Uncle Keith to make sure he avoided combat at all costs, so he had spent 6 hours lounging around his dads office drinking whiskey and smoking cigarettes and answering his dads dumb questions about how he was finding it in the trenches and how he was getting on with the other men. Now he felt a little ashamed, he felt like a coward so the next offensive he was making sure he was going.

"Hello Gentlemen" Nathan called after breakfast next morning some of the privates were gambling with a set of old dice.

"What do you want scott" Chase said without turning around.

"Just wanted to know if I could play?" he asked politely.

The head next to Chase whipped around and it was Lucas.

"Sure you wanna play with me?" He snapped.

"Uh sure" Nathan stammered.

"Ok take a seat" Adams said reluctantly "were betting for cigarettes.

"Uh sure all I could get are these British ones called senior service" He said holding up a pack.

"Well better than us we've been getting cheap ass tobacco and rolling our own" Julian said.

"I don't smoke much I still got 3 lucky strikes left." Adams grinned.

"Well then weve got all to play for" Lucas grinned.

2 days later the men were lining up with their rifles ready to go over the top again and Nathan lined up with them when someone called his name.

"Scott. N" the man called.

"What this time" He answered.

"Report to HQ" The officer said.

"Listen I've got 2 chocolate bars and a carton of cigarettes for you if you tell my father you got here too late and we'd already gone over, no one needs know that were lying got it" Nathan handed him the chocolate and the smokes before lining up with his platoon.

The man turned away slowly and walked back over the line.

"Ready boys lets go" The captain called again. The whistle blew loudly and they began to climb the ladders Nathan took a deep breath and began to walk slowly as they'd been instructed.

Nathan would never forget the first time he had seen battle the screaming bombs exploding all around him, the thick smoke that burned his eyes and nostrils with their burning rancid smell and of course the roaring machine gun fire and the feeling of dread with every pace he took.

They kept walking forward many men fell to the ground or were lifted off their feet in explosions but he kept walking and eventually the few left reached the other trench and before he knew it he was shooting and stabbing with his rifle and bayonet.

He had just shot a german machine gunner in the head, panting and sweating with adrenaline he suddenly turned around aware of a presence behind him the last thing he remembered before blacking out was a sharp blow to the back of his head and a shot being fired from a distance.

A/N: don't worry this isn't over this is just a first chapter…much more to come.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: sorry about the delay I started college this week.

Disclaimer: I do not own one tree hill.

As I opened my eyes the white of the room shocked me and stung my eyes. I squinted and tried to take in my surroundings there were beds everywhere with men in striped pyjamas and some in tattered uniforms who had just arrived. I was in a hospital. I was still alive! I ran my hands down my chest to check I was in one piece and cheered for myself silently that I seemed to be ok. A nurse in a long dress and white apron stained with blood and sweat saw he was awake and smiled with relief before walking over to him.

"Ah Lance Corporal you're awake everyone's been so worried about you. Your father, the Major has been to see you twice and some of your platoon stopped by briefly on their day off, you seem to be quite popular Mr Scott." She smiled at him.

"Uh that makes a change." He grunted touching the back of his head.

"Yes you took quite the blow Lance Corporal you should expect some headaches for a few days" She smiled pouring a small dose of whiskey into a glass.

"But am I going to be ok? You know in general, will I be able to go back to my unit?" He asked.

"I will just tell the doctor you're awake and let him explain things more clearly.

"No uh Nurse…I'd rather you tell me…if there's something wrong with me I don't want some quack letting me know you're the one who's been looking after me so I'd like you to tell me…please Nurse" His eyes pleaded.

"I really should let the Doctor know" She handed him the whiskey "Gulp that down its good for the pain" She instructed "I could lose my job, I'm only a trainee nurse" She looked at him her brow furrowed.

"Please nurse…what is it? What's wrong with me" Nathan asked again.

"It's your legs Lance Corporal…they aren't sure if you will ever walk unassisted again" She told him looking at the floor.

"Oh" That's right he'd checked his arms and his chest but he hadn't tried to move his legs and that's when he noticed his legs were dead. He couldn't move them off the bed, he couldn't even twitch his toes.

"I'm sorry Mr Scott." She said softly.

"Call me Nathan it seems like I'm going to be here a while." He smiled regretfully.

"Ok Nathan." She smiled back at him her eyes lighting up.

"And you are Miss Nurse?" He grinned cheekily.

"Probationer Haley James" She whispered.

"You look a little young to be a nurse if you don't mind me saying so" He said softly.

"Don't tell anyone I'm only 16 I lied about my age to get away from home I was tired of that sleepy little town and of doing nothing except learning to sew and cook at home." She explained "You should get to sleep doctor will be telling me off for keeping you from your rest." She walked away slowly to attend to another patient but for the rest of the day her mind was on Nathan Scott.

"So how'd you think Nathan is doing?" Chase asked while they were rolling dice one night.

"I dunno alright probably is my guess, Docs said he was awake anyways" Lucas laughed when he won the next roll.

"You think we're going over the top again tomorrow?" Chase asked.

"Maybe its getting brutal out there gotta be careful." Lucas answered.

"Not many of the original company left now" Chase pointed out.

"Yeah I miss some of them , it's hard to think we'll never see them again." Lucas said softly.

"Let's not start all this morbid business again not good for morale." Chase said quietly.

Lucas just nodded.

"So when can I start trying to walk again?" Nathan asked restlessly.

"Don't rush things Nate I think in time you will realise that learning to walk again is a very horrible, long and painful process and it will be even worse if you start before you are ready I thought Doctor had explained all this to you." Haley said.

"Yeah um he did but I didn't understand all the funny words he used I like it when you tell me what's goin to happen Hales you put it into word I can understand cus I'm not all that clever but I'm well I was a good soldier when my dad didn't interfere I was one of the best but he thinks he has to help me cus I'm his son and he's a major." Nathan scowled "Now I don't know what I'm going to do I'm just a 20 year old bloke who can't walk and has no job experience and no qualifications I never even finished high school Haley I flunked out sophomore year" He looked sad.

"Don't worry Nathan something will come up and if you work hard at it you will learn to walk again I'm sure of it" She smoothed his covers and handed him a cup of very weak coffee.

"You really make things better for me whilst I'm stuck in here" Nathan said "You know when I can walk and everything again I'd like to take you out proper like." He smiled and reached for her hand and covered it with his own "I think you're a pretty special girl Hales" He said using his pet name for her.

"Nathan you know I like you and we are closer than we should be already I could lose my job if the doctor thought I was out gadding about with the soldier's in here." She said softly "besides that I only get one half day off a month" She added.

"Oh…uh right ok I understand Nurse" he removed his hand sullenly "You don't wanna be seen with a cripple like me…it's ok I get it" He said sulkily.

"Nate it's not that I really really like you more than I should to be quite honest I've never felt like this before about any of the boys at home and certainly none of the soldiers here they all seem a bit too old and scary but you straight away you seemed to know me, if I could I'd go out with you tonight" She told him earnestly and she made a point of taking his hand this time.

"Honest?" He brightened up.

"Honest" She grinned at him.

"So if I figure it out then you will go out with me?" He persisted "If I can keep it discreet so your boss wouldn't find out?"

"Um yeah I guess but right now I have other patients Mr Scott" She tried to look sternly at him but just ended up making them both laugh.


End file.
